Vampire Weekend's Surprising Jewish Stories
5 min read
This isn’t only a war between Israel and Hamas. It’s a war between the forces of good and evil.
On October 7, 2023—a Jewish holiday—Hamas terrorists attacked Israel by land, sea, and air. I was in Israel with my family on vacation, along with hundreds of thousands of Americans and tourists from around the world.
My family was awoken by sirens, and we had to hide in a bomb shelter for most of that morning and through the afternoon. My husband and I tried to stay calm and lighthearted in front of our five children, ranging from two to 16, but it was nearly impossible. While waiting in the airport that Sunday night to return to Los Angeles, we were told to stay away from windows in case of a missile attack.
We were terrified but had to zip it up for the sake of our children.
Hamas terrorists murdered, kidnapped, raped, beheaded, and burned alive thousands of innocent people. Infants, teenagers, women, the elderly, and young children were not spared. Hamas attacked Jews and non-Jews, Israelis and foreign nationals, citizens and tourists like the family who came to celebrate their grandmother’s birthday and were kidnapped from their host’s home and are now being held hostage.
Our family friend’s niece (a Canadian citizen) was dragged from her bed and murdered before her two young children. There are witnesses confirming that Hamas terrorists tied the limbs of 14-year-old girls to a bed, repeatedly raped them, and then proceeded to cut limb after limb from their bodies, only to complete the task by beheading their victims.
How can every human being in the world not be outraged?
Deep down, every human knows the difference between right and wrong. You know that that no matter your age, religion, or political affiliation, it is never okay to steal children and infants from their home or from their mothers’ arms and beat, burn, behead, and rape them. It is never justifiable to commit these crimes and then blame the victims.
Their first line of attack is Israel, but they won’t stop there. This is a war on humanity.
It could have been any of us. Hamas doesn’t care if you’re Jewish, American, Christian, Muslim, or even Palestinian. If you had been in Southern Israel on October 7th, your life would have been in danger.
This is not about land. Hamas seeks to kill every Jew who walks the face of the Earth. Their harrowing mission statement echoes that of Hitler. Their aim is to cause chaos and destroy human life.
Their first line of attack is Israel, but they won’t stop there. They are coming for you, too. Wake up, my friends. This is a war on humanity.
Today you have an opportunity in front of you to make a choice. It is not a choice between two countries, two lands, or two opposing political views. It is a choice between good and evil, humanity and barbarity. Everyone needs to take a stand for what is right.
The decision to stand with the side of good is harder today than ever before. Any word you write in support of Israel on social media is met with hate and direct challenge from thousands of people hoping to destroy the Jewish nation. It seems like their opinion has validity because they are so loud, impassioned, and mob-like in size. But make no mistake, it is the voice of evil.
Choose good over evil. Choose to defend Israel and her right to exist as a safe haven for every Jewish person.
To those of you who have stood up and continue to stand with Israel and all Jews, I thank you.
You cannot imagine the hope and light that you bring to each and every Jewish person.
Don’t let the world make the same mistakes as the past.
As Rabbi Etiel Goldvicht so powerfully stated on the Global Day of Unity and Prayer, “This is your chance to decide where you stand in humanity. Which side do you stand on? Are you choosing good or are you choosing evil? If you are quiet in your community, in your church, in your synagogue, or in your mosque, you have chosen a side.
The world will remember which side you took. Even if you do not join us, we will bind together, we will pray, and we will prevail.”
You can make the courageous choice to stand up against evil.
There are many righteous gentiles who have used their voice to educate others. Dr. Phil stated, “The atrocities and ensuing celebrations committed by Hamas are inexcusable and unjustifiable. These are not the acts of honorable soldiers, freedom fighters, or militants. I can’t help but wonder, what do they say to themselves, alone in the middle of the night, after murdering a terrified and defenseless little baby boy or girl? You cannot negotiate with people whose only acceptable outcome is to murder you and your entire race. We must stand up for what we believe and know is right! Israel is our friend and ally. This is a great time to show Israel and the world who we are.”
You can be a beacon of light. You can make the courageous choice to stand up against evil.
When the history books are written, which side will you be remembered on? Connect to your inner soul and do what is right. It’s time to wake up and make the choice to speak up, educate yourself and others, and protect what is decent and moral in the world.
If you don’t do it, who will?
Nice fighting talk but no pointers on what exactly us in the west can do to help once we have made donations and/or pray daily for victims.
This says it all: "This is not about land. Hamas seeks to kill every Jew who walks the face of the Earth. Their harrowing mission statement echoes that of Hitler. Their aim is to cause chaos and destroy human life.
Their first line of attack is Israel, but they won’t stop there. They are coming for you, too. Wake up, my friends. This is a war on humanity." Was 9/11 an attack on Israelis? NO! They want to get rid of EVERYONE who does not accept Islam.How will this end? ONE WAY, AND ONE WAY ONLY. PRAYER AND LOVING
ALL JEWS NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE.
I fully agree, every human being knows deep down what is wrong and what is right. We have this inner compass. Are you a "mensch"? Take a stand, do not be afraid, chose the light over darkness, chose freedom and above all - trust the biggest power of all: Love.
I agree with the comments I see here. I am a Jew, born after WWII, 1945. The Holocaust was a part of my upbringing, the majority of my father’s family was murdered by nazis. That was always history. Until now. This is a new pogrom, attacking, raping and slaughtering Jews. History is repeating itself, now, in my lifetime. I stand with my fellow Jews, unequivocally.
Wonderfully written. We all must take a stand and I pray that the world will soon wake up and realize that what happened was pure evil, no justification, no resistance of any sort can ever excuse such barbaric attacks on innocent civilians. This was an act of pure evil and it should be treated as such.
I stand with Israel, God protect her and the people all over the world from Hamas attacks against humanity...we must unite in prayer and acts of kindness
No human is perfect. In general, you can say Israelis are good. So yes, it is a fight of good verses evil.
Let's reframe. This isn't a war of 'good vs. evil.' Israel, its government, its people are not unquestionably 'good.' There are many human and spiritual failings. However, Hamas, at least the atrocities they perpetrated, is unquestionably evil. This is then, simply put, a call to take a stand 'against evil.' The choice seems clear - do we take a stand against evil, or do we cowardly sell our souls?
Yes, we humans have our shortcomings. However, now is not the time to point fingers at the Israeli government. We can analyze Bibi, et al all we want when all of the hostages are safe and sound.
True, like everyone else Israelis sometimes make wrong choices - both the individuals and their governments. But - and it’s a very big BUT - the aspiration of the people, the culture and the resultant government is for goodness: for consideration of all, for purposeful kindness, for the maximum freedom of choice for ALL citizens. So even though in practice Israel and Israelis sometimes fail in this aspiration, the very fact that it forms the basis of Israeli society defines Israel as “good” in the war of values now raging on our planet.
Whether you are right or wrong, if you want those (on campuses, etc.) who have been inculcated with the idea of Israel being bad, to at least allow themselves to remove their blinders and admit the evil of Hamas atrocities, you must divorce that admission from a declaration of Israel's 'goodness.'
On the contrary, they must be brought to see just how blind they are to their own values in action - unless they indeed hold the vicious values of our enemies.
Maybe so. But practically speaking, change must be incremental. Like in physical war, the war of ideas is won through a series of measured, achievable goals. Just my opinion...
Then let us start by asking them, without connection to Israel: do you want to live in a world where anyone can walk into your house and beat/burn/rape/kill you and your family? Because if you support Hamas now, that is what you are supporting.